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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23809756">On Making Connections During Unplanned Career Changes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheerfullyMorbid/pseuds/CheerfullyMorbid'>CheerfullyMorbid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe-Magic, Alternate Universe-Vampire, Gen, Surprise Friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:33:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23809756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheerfullyMorbid/pseuds/CheerfullyMorbid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A magician and a vampire meet in a dark alley. Neither is quite what the other expected.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The_Magnusquerade</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Making Connections During Unplanned Career Changes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hear there are other plans for Gerry in this ‘verse, so this should be treated as very AU of this AU. But here’s my take!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gerard Keay had nearly died many, many times in his not-quite-thirty years. Between the spell books and his mother, that was almost inevitable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last time had been the worst, with Gertrude standing over him. Waiting for the tumor to claim him so she could bind his ghost to Mum’s favorite spell book. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Gerard had spell books of his own, now. Written and bound himself, so he</span>
  <em>
    <span> knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> they had none of Leitner or Mum or </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone else’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> touch on them. He could fight off Gertrude. With enough healing spells and modern medicine, he could even fight off a tumor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Compared to that night, tonight was almost boring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard ducked into the dark alleyway, boots near silent on the cracked cement. Montauk wasn’t a vampire, yet. She wouldn’t be able to track him by scent. And even if she could, there were some seriously smelly dumpsters a few meters off. Hiding in garbage was never pleasant, but nothing Gerard hadn’t done before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or he could wait for her to pass by and try the new spell on her. The woman was clearly enthralled to a Hunt vampire. Maybe Gerard could free her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there were people leaning against the wall by  the dumpsters as he approached. Pressing into each other like—ugh, next to a dumpster, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Gerard slumped against the wall. Maybe he could make his way onto the roof and lose Montauk that way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then the taller figure broke off, with one last kiss to his partner’s neck. “Thanks for your help, Ethan,” he said, licking something dark from his lips. “Go home and get some rest, all right? You won’t remember this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The distant streetlights reflected off a set of sharp fangs when he smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard thought several curses. Interrupting a feeding vampire was a very good way to become the next meal. And this time, he hadn’t even meant to do it!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shorter figure wandered off, taking no notice of Gerard crouched in the shadows. The vampire, though, was clearly looking his way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His hand tightened on the spell book in his coat. If the vampire decided to attack or compel him, it was all over. But if he could amuse it, get it to lower its guard, then maybe—</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Mister Keay!” called a sing-song voice. Montauk’s. Accompanied with the metallic click of her gun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard carefully did not groan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Had he been an awful person in a past life? Had he somehow inherited all of Mum’s bad karma? She</span>
  <em>
    <span> would </span>
  </em>
  <span>find a way to foist it all off on him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he used his spell book on Montauk, the vampire could do whatever it liked before he turned back around. If he used it on the vampire, Montauk would no doubt shoot him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned towards Montauk, opening his book. At least the vampire </span>
  <em>
    <span>might</span>
  </em>
  <span> not kill him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The setting moon wasn’t quite bright enough to read by, but that never mattered with a spell book. Gerard started the first familiar syllable, when a hand touched his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh,” said the vampire. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Against his will, Gerard shhd. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Montauk walked right past them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When her footsteps faded into silence, the vampire chuckled. “I’m glad that worked! Never tried to layer it over something real.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Layer what?” Gerard asked with a scowl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An illusion.” The vampire frowned at Gerard’s glare. “What? I just made her think there was nobody here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You compelled me,” Gerard snapped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The vampire blinked. “I did? Sorry. But she’d have definitely heard you talking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was going to break her enthrallment,” Gerard growled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were </span>
  <em>
    <span>going</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get shot—wait, you can do that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess we’ll never know, will we?” Gerard flipped to a different, much deadlier page. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only to have the spell book vanish from his hands before he could begin to read. “Cool,” the vampire breathed, flipping through it. “Are you a magician? Jon met a magician once, tore him apart before he could learn anything cool—oh.” He’d stopped on the title page. Gerard had to admit, he’d gone a little overboard on it with the skulls. “Gerard Keay? You’re</span>
  <em>
    <span> the</span>
  </em>
  <span> Gerard Keay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s it to you, vampire?” There was an incomplete spell book in his coat pocket, it ought to have something useful if he could just get it out without the vampire’s notice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I worked at the Magnus Institute! I’ve read all about you! At least, everything Elias didn’t censor. I’m such a fan of your work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really.” Gerard’s left hand slid into his pocket, wrapping around the partially-bound book. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His other hand found itself being shaken up and down by a beaming vampire. “I’m Tim, Tim Stoker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard raised an eyebrow. “A vampire. Named Stoker.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stoker grimaced. “It wasn’t my idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The name or the vampirism?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Either.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While the vampire frowned, Gerard ran his thumb along the pages of the hidden book. The fire spell was—there. It ought to give him time to get the other book and use it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve scared you, haven’t I.” Stoker didn’t say it like a question. He handed the spell book back to Gerard, deliberately slowly. “I’m sorry. I’m still sort of new at this. Always thought Jon was being a too-fast all-knowing jerk on purpose, but now I’m doing it too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shouldn’t say things like that. It made Gerard feel a little bad about incinerating him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The vampire sighed. “I’ve got some friends who’re enthralled to a real creep. If you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> break an enthralling, I’d love your help. And I have about a million questions about the magic book thing. But,” he raised his hands and stepped back from Gerard, “no pressure. I don’t want to be the sort of bloodsucker who scares or forces people into doing things they don’t want to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This rather slowed down Gerard’s plan to murder him. If this was a distraction or delay tactic, it was working. “The spell’s still experimental,” he admitted. “Most magicians don’t care to take the time for thralls. It did help an escaped Filth thrall, but she’d been free for a couple years first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So that woman with the gun was, what, your test subject?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard rolled his eyes. “She calls herself a witch hunter. I think the vampire she’s bound to made up some pretty lies about the old rivalry between our kinds, blah blah defending humanity or whatever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So she’s trying to kill you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep!” Gerard chuckled. Or sighed. He was too tired to be sure which. “She’s been after me for a week. Very dedicated. Refuses to hear a word I say.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you be interested in trying out the spell on someone who </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to kill you? I know Melanie would be thrilled to try it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard considered it. “Depends on who they’re bound to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jon owes me. He won’t try to stop us, if he’s even awake.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The same Jon who tore apart the last magician he met?” Is this was a murder attempt, it was very convoluted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To be fair, he was newly turned at the time. And it</span>
  <em>
    <span> was</span>
  </em>
  <span> Leitner, so no one’s crying over it.” Stoker paused. “It’s his sire that we might need to worry about. Elias.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah. So it’s the Eye bloodline.” Damn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a problem?” Stoker asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t think I’d need to free any Eye thralls,” Gerard explained. “Elias doesn’t seem to bother with them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stoker grimaced. “You’re a bit behind the times. Since Gertrude died, he’s made a habit of enthralling the entire Archives staff, or making Jon do it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lovely.” Gerard tapped his fingers against his book, thinking. “Breaking the bond won’t be pleasant,” he said. “And the Eye adds an extra complication. How badly does your friend want freedom?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bad enough to try killing the all-knowing vampire telepath a couple dozen times,” Stoker said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Impressive. “In that case, I’d be happy to help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excellent!” Stoker—or Tim, Gerard supposed—held out a hand. “I look forward to working with you, Mister Keay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gerard took it. “Call me Gerry.”</span>
</p>
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